improbability

English

Etymology

From im- +‎ probability.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪmˌpɹɒb.əˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɪmˌpɹɑb.əˈbɪl.ə.ti/, [ɪmˌpɹɑb.əˈbɪl.ə.ɾi], /ɪmˌpɹɑb.əˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/, [ɪmˌpɹɑb.əˈbɪl.ɪ.ɾi]

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪlɪti

Noun

improbability (countable and uncountable, plural improbabilities)

1. The quality or state of being improbable; unlikelihood.
2. That which is improbable; an improbable event or result.
   • 1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter X, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 130:

     "I really," returned the other with a sneer, "cannot agree about probabilities or improbabilities, but I know what the generality will think when they see a gentleman constantly with five very pretty girls, and I also know what they will say."

Translations

unlikelihood

• Bulgarian: невероятност f (neverojatnost)
• Catalan: improbabilitat f
• Galician: improbabilidade (gl) f
• Hungarian: valószínűtlenség (hu)
• Irish: neamhdhóchúlacht f, andóigh f
• Japanese: 低確率 (teikakuritsu)
• Spanish: improbabilidad (es) f

that which is improbable

References

• “improbability”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “improbability”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.